The invention relates to a hopper feeder for producing a mixture of fiber material, in particular of natural or synthetic textile fiber material, e.g. cotton etc., comprising a bottom conveyer belt arranged at the lower edge of the chute and a reduction assembly projecting upwardly from the bottom conveyer belt in the working direction thereof, e.g. an upright spiked lattice (DE-AS 1 152 923).
To obtain a flock blend in the hopper feeder which may be further moved to a processing machine, providing flock guidance in the hopper feeder is of particular importance. Fiber material present in the hopper feeder should be conveyed in such a way that it is deposited in a predetermined manner in the hopper feeder compartment and conveyed to the spiked lattice to provide a uniform transport and processing of the fiber material in the hopper feeder.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,043,464 discloses a device for the opening of fiber bales using a reciprocating pick-up means by which fiber material is plucked upwardly from the bales of a row of bales and the plucked material is fed to a supply container for further processing. The pick-up means is arranged on a sort of traveling crane for reciprocating movement thereof, said traveling crane being displaceable on rails along the row of bales.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,165,280 is directed to a hopper feeder of a known type wherein the material in the hopper feeder is to be cleaned. This hopper feeder is provided with a bottom conveyor belt formed as a slat conveyor, an obliquely arranged upright spiked lattice being provided at the end of the bottom conveyor. The fiber material is supplied from the rear wall of the hopper feeder into the filling chamber and is contained within the filling chamber in non-uniform heaps. For obtaining a cleaning effect, the horizontal slat conveyor is provided with rows of brushes sweeping along under the heap of fibers. The brushes, containing spinnable fibers, cooperate with the spikes arranged on the inclined conveyor. In this manner, spinnable fibers will be taken off the brushes, while short fiber particles and other impurities are separated below the horizontal conveyor and are collected.
In the filling chamber of the hopper feeder of U.S. Pat. No. 4,165,280, a small inclined metal panel is provided closely above the horizontal conveyor for covering the gap above the horizontal conveyor to a position at the rear hopper wall. The conveyed material is accommodated in irregular heaps within the filling chamber of the hopper feeder and is conveyed in this state to the upright reduction assembly from which the fiber material is passed on by a take-off roller.
Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide a flock guidance in the hopper feeder for obtaining a mixture of flocks in a specific manner.